The United States is only fuelling Russia’s hostile conduct with its “slap on the wrist’ strategy, a geopolitical analyst has warned. Tensions between Moscow and Washington have rocketed this week after an MQ-9 drone crashed into the Black Sea. Speaking to Express.co.uk, analyst Irina Tsukerman warned the US’s response to the incident only exacerbates concerns about the “weakness” of the Biden administration in responding to threats to US security.
Tsukerman said: “The US already is facing accusations of weakness for allowing Russia to get away with ruining millions of dollars worth of US property with no serious consequence whatsoever.
“Getting away with a slap on the wrist will only encourage Russia’s reckless actions that endanger the lives of its own pilots and potentially endanger US property and in some cases, pilots as well.
“The US cannot afford a show of any military weakness; past weakness in not responding to less destructive incidents resulted in Russia becoming particularly brazen and becoming excessively aggressive and downing the drone.”
Washington has insisted it wants to avoid open conflict with Moscow after Russian officials attempted to portray the drone’s presence in the Black Sea as evidence of direct involvement in the war in Ukraine.
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Brig Gen Pat Ryder on Thursday reiterated the US supports Kyiv’s right to defend itself and would continue to offer its support.
He also confirmed the US Army will be setting up an additional garrison with 13 military personnel and 140 civilian personnel.
Tsukerman continued: “That sends the wrong message to allies and adversaries alike.
“Amidst a pattern of slow and underwhelming responses, coupled with reports of naval inferiority and shortage of resources, the US is creating an image of a country incapable of standing up for its own interests, much less of lending appropriate levels of assistance to its allies.
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“That invites aggression and escalation of its boundaries and presents a direct threat.”
The US military said it ditched the Air Force MQ-9 Reaper in the Black Sea on Tuesday after a pair of Su-27 jets dumped fuel on the surveillance drone and then one of them struck its propeller.
Moscow has denied that its warplanes hit the drone, alleging that it crashed while making a sharp manoeuvre.
The Russian Ministry of Defence said that its warplanes reacted to a violation of a no-flight zone Russia has established in the area near Crimea amid the fighting in Ukraine.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu lauded the pilots for preventing the drone from flying into the area that Moscow has banned for flights.
The Defence Ministry said the ban was “in line with international norms.”
While calling out Russia for “reckless” action, the White House also tried to avoid exacerbating tensions.
Washington emphasised that they have not been able to determine whether the Russian pilot intentionally struck the American drone and stressed that lines of communication with Moscow remain open.
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